Change America Now

I haven't been blogging much lately because I've been working on putting together a press event in Philly to roll out support for the 100-Hour Agenda in the House.  I'll post details about it when they are nailed down.  Right now we're looking at December 19th at the Ethical Society of Philadelphia, which couldn't be a better place to rally support for

increasing the minimum wage

cutting student loan costs in half

ending tax breaks for the oil companies and putting that money into renewable source research

cutting Medicare Part D costs by negotiating with the drug companies for lower prices

Obviously, those four goals are only a down payment on what needs to happen in D.C.   We need a living wage, not a minimum wage.  Medicare Part D alone needs six substantial and immediate fixes made to even begin to approach being a sensible drug benefit.  College should be free to anyone who qualifies.  And there should be an Apollo Program operating to get us independent of oil from anywhere.   But, given the resistance in the corporatist halls of our government to even these simple, sensible babysteps, it's pretty clear that we'll have to move slowly. 

The magic ingredient to getting change made is citizen outrage and action.   Along those lines you can get in on the fun by sending your Congress Critter a CANgram for the holiday season.   Forget the War on Christmas and join the Class War that's raging off the corporate media's radar.  Tell your Member of Congress that:

This holiday season, I am uniting with progressive voices across America to urge you to support the Change America Now (CAN) 100 Hour Agenda. On November 7 we saw Americans stand up and voice their anger about the direction in which America was moving. This election was a mandate for change; a mandate for a broader agenda that supports American families in a number of critical areas including jobs and wages, healthcare, the environment, and education. I believe that by supporting these initiatives in the first 100 hours, you can stand up for the American people and demonstrate your commitment to a Congress that Changes America Now.

In the first 100 hours, I urge you to side with the American people and vote to:

- Make college more affordable by cutting interest rates for student loans in half
- Lower the cost of prescription drugs by directing Medicare to use its purchasing power to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies for lower prices for Part D
- Repeal tax breaks and other multi-billion dollar subsidies for Big Oil  and invest in alternative sources of energy
- Raise the federal minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 an hour

At this critical point, we must take steps to reverse the policies that have harmed the poor and middle class, and advance new initiatives to return the nation to the type of broad economic prosperity that gave rise to the concept of the "American Dream." I ask you to join this fight and demonstrate to all Americans that you are ready and willing to Change America Now.

If nothing changes, nothing changes.   Tell your friends.

Comments

[Charles D]

It's really too bad that impeachment of Cheney and Bush (in that order) cannot be part of the 100-day agenda. There just isn't enough political cover to remove illegally elected war criminals from office. Well, let's do what we CAN.

[eRobin]

Hey DL :)

I'd be cool with that if that lack of will and understanding among the American public didn't mean that we're setting ourselves up for this to happen again and again.